GTT and Dalian Shipbuilding Industry (DSIC) received approval in principle from Lloyd’s Register for their 30,000 cubic meters ballast free LNG carrier design.
The spread of invasive species is recognized as one of the greatest threats to the ecological and economic well-being of the planet and this new design could provide a ballast-free shipping solution, Lloyd’s Register said.
The design, named B-Free, enables savings in build cost through the avoidance of fitting a ballast water treatment system (BWTS) and not having to comply with the Performance Standard for Protective Coatings (PSPC) for ballast tanks, ballast piping, pumps and values.
Operational savings should be seen from not having to, for example, run and maintain a BWTS, ballast systems and maintain ballast tank coatings. Initial predictions also show lower fuel consumption compared to “standard” designs as well as lower LNG boil-off due to the GTT membrane, compared to a Type C tank.
Ma Yingbin , vice chief engineer, DSIC, said, “While we are still in the initial stage of the project and the design is subject to ongoing change, the initial results are indicating that we will meet our goal of having a ballast-free ship that is equal to, or better than existing conventional designs.”
He added that with exceeding expectations from owners and operators, the project’s phase two is expected to further refine and validate the design, resulting in more efficient small-scale LNG carriers.